Who is Didier Bédu

Didier Bédu was the President of the Interprofession des Appellations Cidricoles (I.D.A.C.) for France when I spoke to him in 2016. Today Jean-Luc Pignol, is now the commercial Director the Calvados Busnel distillery, has been elected Chairman of IDAC. In 2016 I spoke with Didier regarding IDAC’s criteria for the highly sought after appellations AOC & AOP for Calvados and Pommeau.

What is the main mission of I.D.A.C.?

• To improve the quality
• With every bottle sold that is has the appellation I.D.A.C. collects fees or small tax on every bottle sold.
• The money is used for technical research for constant improvement of the product and to advise the producer for the best quality
• I.D.A.C. also publishes statistics on the products
• And I.D.A.C. does promotion – meet the press, explain what the organizations does, has an international cocktail competition

What is Calvados?

Calvados is the distillation of cider, aged in cask for a minimum of 2 years – there is no maximum

Typical ABV for calvados 40- 41%

There are 320 producers of Calvados, with a 28 member board who then elect the president.

There are the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) regions for Calvados.

• Calvados Pays d’Auge
• Calvados Domfrontais

How to drink Calvados?

• Have calvados as an aperative and with ice
• The IDAC website recipes
• There is a Single cask Calvados which is considered too good to be blended – Single cask Calvadso is not reduced by water
• Made in a limited edition – maybe only a 100 bottles

  Tasting notes for calvados: look for the fruit

  • the consumer looks for the fruity side – which should always be present.
  • young 2 years old very easy
  • despite the long aging – you never lose this fruity aspect or fruity
  • woody, spicy lots of different aromas after aging
  • serve in a tulip glass – if neat (no ice)
  • to be savored not a shot glass

  Calvados can be combined with a lot of things – enjoy with a cup of coffee, with cheese, square of chocolate, enjoy with a cigar

  “Use a 2 year old Calvados and mix a cocktail or do it neat to have something fresh”

  What is the perfect age – where you just want to drink? : after 6 years

What is Pommeau?

• Pommeau is an aperitif – mixture of french apple juice and young Calvados is aged in a cask of oak for a minimum 18 months  and the abv is between 16 or 18%
• No added sugar
• The fermentation is blocked by the addition of calvados
• The fresh juice and the calvados is mixed immediately

For Pommeau there are three AOC regions.

1. Pommeau du Brittany

2. Pommeau du Normandy

3. Pommeau du Maine

For Cider or Cidre as spelled in France there is now three Appellation d’Origine Protégée AOP / AOC regions. The third region just attained status in June 2016.

1. Pays d’ Auge (Normandy)
2.  Cornouaille ( Britiany)
3.  Contentin (Northwest Normandy)
4. Pommeau de Bretagne obtained the AOC status by official order on May 31, 1997
5. Pommeau du Maine obtained AOC statue on October 29, 2009.

For Perry there is one AOC – Domfront

Besides the long and lengthy process of attaining approval for the appellation Dider presented 3 main criteria for an AOC.

1. The Territory – can only do Calvados in a specific territory
   1. Clay plays  an important role in Calvados
2. Local apples – French apple varieties
3. How it is distilled

Cider, Calvados and Pommeau tourism in France

• There are 20 -30 Calvados distilleries to visit
• There are 1.3 million visitors per year going to the French distilleries
• 150,000 visitors in Normandy alone

Mentions in this chat:

• 049: Agathe Letellier | Manoir d’Apreval, France
• Jazz sous les Pommiers or Jazz Under the Apple Trees Fest takes place every year in Coutances during Ascension week (in May)
• Calvados route through Normandy http://www.calvados-tourisme.co.uk/en/discover/tourist-trails/the-cider-route.php

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